Kent/Feldspar

[videointhenoise]

"Just once more," they had said when Ellie's team petitioned for it. She was busy with Palmer, falling in love with science while he fell in love with God, and Kent was left to pick up the pieces. He wanted another damn go at it. The Machine had a pricetag in the billions; it was begging to be used again.

But they wouldn't let Ellie go. They wouldn't let just anyone go. They wanted someone who knew how it worked, who had been there from the beginning, but someone who isn't completely taken in by Ellie's words.

That leads them to a dozen people and they end up with Kent. He's blind, but that's not what decides it. They claim that he wouldn't hallucinate the way Ellie did. That he has a unique perspective.

And, he's already proven himself steady and loyal.

He experiences it all the way that Ellie does, but something goes wrong on the other end. Maybe another terrorist attack. Maybe not. All he knows is that he's in the sphere and then, suddenly, he's floating, unable to find his footing until a great crash and he slams into the bottom of the machine.

He groans, pulling his helmet on with a grunt and a wince.

"Fuck this," he mutters, finding the edge of the sphere with his hands. There was a door there somewhere. He just - has to find it.

Comments

[getfeldsparred]

“Yeah,” Feldspar grins, sliding their hand down his chest gently. “Yeah, great.”

They lean forward to touch their lips to his.

[videointhenoise]

Kent sits up and places a hand on his neck. "Do I need to wear a collared shirt today?" he wonders, letting Feldspar see any marks they might have left.

[getfeldsparred]

They get the implication of the question and sit back to inspect him, inadvertently turning themselves on in the process. It’s the toys’ fault, clearly.

“You probably should, yeah. I left some bad ones under your ear.”

[videointhenoise]

Kent takes their hand and kisses their fingers. "Good," he murmurs. "It will give Slate something to stare at, I think." He pushes them away. "Go get dressed or we're never leaving this bed."

[getfeldsparred]

Kent takes their breath away with the press of his lips to their hand. They’d sit there and swoon if they didn’t really, really need to do the final checks before their mission to Giant’s Deep.

They get up from the bed and start dressing themselves, moving slowly to avoid jostling…things if they can help it. “Slate’s always staring at you. They’re infatuated with you.”

[videointhenoise]

"Eh, infatuated is a big word," he points out. "They are...just wanting something they know they can't have."

He doesn't like to think otherwise.

He gets up and digs through his dresser for clothes.

[getfeldsparred]

“Ya think?” Feldspar hums, handing Kent a shirt from the pile that has a higher collar. “I dunno, Kent. I think they’re smitten, but they’ll never act on it. Always kinda been a loner.”

[videointhenoise]

"That why you two fucked once and never talk about it?" he challenges.

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar grins lopsidedly. “We did it more than once, but yeah. That and I went into space and they were kind of more in love with the equipment than the cosmonaut.”

[videointhenoise]

"You're not a cosmonaut," he laughs. "At least, you don't sound like it."

[getfeldsparred]

“And what should a cosmonaut sound like, huh?”

Feldspar sneaks up behind him and wraps their arms around his waist.

“You’re a pain. Tell me how much you’re going to miss me.”

[videointhenoise]

He tugs on his shirt and adjusts the collar with a grin. "I will miss you every moment of every day."

He doesn't answer the cosmonaut question; he just puts a hand on their arm. "Go, Felds. Lapis and I will come to send you off."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar leans in close and nuzzles their cheek against Kent’s, feeling his stubble against their skin. They inhale softly, capturing the moment in their mind and then pulling away. “Going. See you later.”

They grin and slip out of the room, heading off to the launch pad to look at the ship with their helmet tucked under their arm. They’re definitely moving slower than normal, but they doubt anyone will notice.

[videointhenoise]

He waits until he can't hear their footsteps anymore. Then he starts to clean up and when Lapis and Hal return from their sleepover, he takes them to the makeshift school he's started and leads the others in a lesson. He's distracted himself, but they all know why. They know that it's because of Feldspar.

And when the sun begins to set, he takes them back to the village square to show off their newest projects.

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar’s the same whether they’re preparing for a mission or actually flying - seemingly careless, laid back, ready to roll with the punches. They are paying attention though, always; that’s just the mark of a good pilot. They learn all the new modifications Slate’s put into their ship, all the little tweaks and upgrades and experimental parts that they like to make them fly with instead of the new recruits - for obvious reasons. If the new recruits were treated like Feldspar then no one would want to fly.

They take everything in, those last final instructions and preparations, hauling up their supplies and equipment and listening to Hornfels review the flight conditions and chastise them for not checking in with ground control as often as they should. Gossan drops by to catch up and talk about their flight plans, and they trade a few friendly barbs about riding cyclones before they’re finally left alone with their ship.

Finally, a bit of a break. They climb into their ship and settle into the pilot’s chair, settling back with a low groan as they finally let themselves react to the toys that were very much torturing them throughout the day. They roll the top of their flight suit down, turning them into trousers that they can then slip their hand into and give themselves a little relief. They fiddle with the toys, looking at the top of their viewing window to the picture they keep of Kent tucked into one of the seams. They come surprisingly fast, quiet unlike all the other times they might have done this in the quiet void of space.

Feldspar takes a minute to rest, then cleans themselves up and hops back down onto the ground to join the others at the campfire. They keep their flight suit top rolled down and tied around their waist, scars on full display from just wearing the thin, sleeveless shirt they typically wear under their suit.

The campfire is in full swing by the time they arrive, and they’re met as they usually are - happy cheers and pleas for stories or to join the others with their harmonic. They promise they’ll do so soon, but they’ve got to see a certain someone and kiss their stupid face.

[videointhenoise]

Kent is quizzing the hatchlings when he hears the increase in noise that signals Feldspar's arrival. He knows he's lost the kids, at least, and smiles as he settles back, waiting for those kisses to come.

When they do, he wraps his arms around them, nuzzling into their neck.

"How did it go?"

[getfeldsparred]

They smile happily as Kent settles into their arms. The hatchlings are long gone by now, which is good since they probably couldn’t look them in the eyes at the moment. “Great, just great. All ready to launch tomorrow morning, weather permitting. How are you?”

[videointhenoise]

"Tired. We walked in the forest a while and I think the hatchlings led me astray," he chuckles.

[getfeldsparred]

“Yeah, they’ll do that.” Feldspar grins and raises Kent’s head up for another kiss, keeping it somewhat chaste for the sake of some of the others around them. “Are you too tired to help me out, or am I on my own for this one?”

[videointhenoise]

"Help you out?"

He sits back. "What could you possibly need help with?"

He grins innocently.

[getfeldsparred]

“Oh, you think you’re real funny, huh?”

Feldspar pushes them back with a low chuckle. “It was rough today, you know. A little sympathy would be nice!”

[videointhenoise]

"I am funny," he protests and catches himself on a log. "But if you think I would pass up this chance, you are quite wrong. Are you ready to leave?"

[getfeldsparred]

“First thing in the morning,” they answer, grabbing a stick from the ground and picking off the bark. “All packed up and ready to go.”

[videointhenoise]

Kent moves closer to them, his arm around their waist, grinning as he leans in close. "Then we have time."

[getfeldsparred]

Feldspar waits a beat before leaning back into Kent’s embrace. “Not a lot, so don’t be cruel,” they mutter. “Take me home? No one’s watching.”